HELEN Eaves was just 26 when she was dealt the devastating blow that the lump in her neck wasn’t just a swollen gland but in fact rare thyroid cancer.

The former Laurence Jackson and Middlesbrough College student had just graduated and spent time travelling round America when she realised she faced a battle to control the cancer, now known to be one of the most prevalent forms affecting women.

Helen, now 28, and living in Nunthorpe said: “It was a shock, and yes it was a really difficult time. I didn’t really know I had any symptoms and I have always been fit and healthy.”

In fact, Helen, who has now had an operation to remove her thyroid and is now on daily life-long medication, learned more about her condition at a “check your neck” day at the Metro Centre.

The Butterfly Thyroid Cancer Trust had set up a stand to raise awareness of the condition - and Helen, who works at a pupil referral unit in Northallerton, will now be taking to the streets of Tyneside as one of this year’s Great North Runners.

She added: “I was offered a place to run for the charity and I immediately said yes.

“It was the biggest thing ever to happen to me and I want others to know the symptoms, become aware and raise money at the same time.”

DECIDING who to run for was easy for Nicky Davies. For the 27-year-old event manager from Thornaby watched as her best friend’s mum lost her battle with cancer.

“I’m running for the Butterwick Hospice because when the time came for Katy’s family to say goodbye they were amazing.

“People were in and out and the Butterwick made it so nice for everyone to come and see her, but I feel like it’s now personal for me too.”

Because although Katy Pitelin was like an extended member of Nicky’s own family, she has also just been given the news that her own dad Brian - who was in Katy’s class at school - is also battling cancer.

“I just know,” said Nicky, “that a day is coming when my own family will need to rely on the Butterwick, so I’m keen to run to raise funds for them.”

THE devastating impact of seeing a loved one suffer from the affects of a brain tumour is more than most people could handle in a lifetime.

But for teaching assistant Yvonne Craig, 39, this devastating situation has touched her life twice.

Her now 18-year-old nephew Carlton first found out he had a tumour at just five years old, and a pupil in her class, James Marshall, died just days before his 11th birthday, also from an inoperable tumour.

Yvonne, from Nunthorpe, said: “I will be running for the Butterwick Hospice, who helped James, and my sister, Carlton’s mum Sharon, is running for the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust.”

And the pair won’t be lonely on their half-marathon run.

Sharon’s husband Tommy, 41, and their brother-in-law Tony Rigg, 43, will also be taking part.

Sharon McLoughlin, 40, said: “As a parent there can’t be much worse than hearing your child has a tumour. And Carlton’s been through it three times now.

“We’re praying he stays in remission at the moment - although he does have what we think are cysts on his brain at the moment.

“He’s a strong boy but to get through things like this you need help.

“None of us are big runners normally but we want to do this to raise money for some great causes.”